RANCHO SANTA FE —The Rancho Santa Fe Association board unanimously approved the Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club’s request to count property it owns toward a two-thirds consent requirement for covenant modification, bringing the club one step closer to being purchased by the association. As a stipulation to the impending purchase, the association required the Garden Club to apply for two covenant modifications to change its use-class.

Currently the two lots that make up the Garden Club are designated for single-family residential use, with an allowance for a private or semi-public clubhouse.

Now the Garden Club is trying to get the lots designated for “public and semi-public uses,” so that it can continue to sell items on the property and to allow for public parking.

But to make the changes, the Garden Club needs to get its neighbors to agree with them. Two-thirds of property owners located within 500 feet of the club must give their written consent.

“The Rancho Santa Fe Association owns a substantial amount of property within a 500’ radius (consent area) of the Garden Club,” Helen Dizio, president of the Garden Club, wrote in her formal request letter to the association. “Obtaining the consent of Association-owned property will potentially enable the Garden Club to meet or exceed the two-thirds consent area requirement.”

The Garden Club received that consent at the April 4 board meeting and significantly raised its chances of meeting the two-thirds approval threshold.

Secretary of the Board Peter B. Smith said the board would keep the Garden Club purchase as a board agenda item for the next couple of meetings in case there are further questions.

“It’s moving forward nicely,” said Roxana Foxx, president of the board.